Vol. 491 No. 6
198 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make regulations for the transfer of a hackney licence from the licence holder permit to a member of the immediate family, that is, husband, wife, son or daughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12652/98]
The Road Traffic (Public Services Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1995, terminated the transferability of hackney licences, with the exception that a hackney licence may devolve on the personal representative upon the death of a holder.
This provision was adopted against the background that hackney licences, unlike taxi licences, are not subject to numerical quotas; that hackney licences wherever issued may be used countrywide; and that it was desirable to avoid the creation of a private market in hackney licences, such as exists in some areas for taxi licences.
In the light of experience to date of the 1995 regulations and of submissions from local authorities and other interested parties, I will be prepared to consider the case for any necessary regulatory improvements.
